City Cast Pittsburgh logo
April 15, 2026

12 Rules Every Pittsburgh Driver Should Know

City Cast Pittsburgh

12 Rules Every Pittsburgh Driver Should Know

00:00:00
View all City Cast Pittsburgh episodes

Company is coming, and a lot of out-of-town drivers don't know how to zipper merge. But let's be honest, some of yinz don't either! Driving down steep hills and navigating tight streets can be a challenge, and people have been complaining about our city's layout for decades. In the 1930s, renowned journalist Erine Pyle wrote, "Pittsburgh is the cockeyedest city in the United States. Physically it is absolutely irrational. It must have been laid out by a mountain goat.” Before tens of thousands of visitors descend on our city, we're revisiting our conversation with friend of the pod and former Uber driver Jakob Lazzaro. Together, we're talking about why the streets are like this, share some very important rules for navigating our narrow, hilly streets, and – of course – debate the efficacy of the Pittsburgh Left. 

**This episode originally aired September 4, 2024.

Notes and references from today’s show:

  • Topography and annexation shaped mismatched Pittsburgh streets [WESA]
  • Drivers, you're not alone. Pittsburgh really does have frustrating and short on-ramps [WESA]
  • Choose a color and buckle up: Allegheny County's belt system is low tech, but navigable [WESA]
  • Rainbow Connections [City Paper]
  • U.T.B.A.P.H. [99% Invisible]

Learn more about the sponsors of this Wednesday, April 15th episode:

Allegheny County Poll Workers

Window Nation

Pittsburgh Steelers

Taskrabbit

AIDS Free Pittsburgh

Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.

Want more Pittsburgh news? 

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Hey Pittsburgh

Stay connected to City Cast Pittsburgh and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Latest Episodes

See all
October 19

Why Pittsburgh's at the Center of the Grocery Store War

For better or worse, Giant Eagle has long been the main grocery store in town — beloved for its sheetcakes, bemoaned for its high prices....

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
October 18

‘Your City Could Be Better’: Why Salt Lakers are Adopting Storm Drains — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh

How much ownership or responsibility do you feel as a resident of Pittsburgh? In Salt Lake City, people are being asked to “adopt a storm...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
October 16

Exploding Tick Bombs, Expensive Office Conversions & How Spooky is Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh's slated to get a lot more housing, from new apartments in the Hill District to converted office buildings Downtown to a decom...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
October 15

Our Favorite Pittsburgh Coffee Shops

Pittsburgh has no shortage of great coffee shops. Some are perfect for getting work done. Others are better for catching up with friends....

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
October 14

The True Tale of Pittsburgh's Glowing Green Man

There's an urban legend that's left an eerie mark on generations of local kids: a story about a spectre with a glowing green face doomed...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
October 13

Fall Color, Giant Pumpkins & Pittsburgh's Best Asian Groceries

Fall foliage is starting to pop around Pittsburgh. Host Megan Harris and contributor Sophia Lo share their favorite spots to soak up thos...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
October 11

‘Your City Could Be Better’: A St. Paul Cell Phone Ban Teens Might Actually Like — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh

Another Pittsburgh school year has begun — how are cell phones being handled? In Minnesota, one high school is demonstrating that a stric...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
October 9

Shapiro vs. Garrity, a Mafia-Style Toilet Fundraiser & TBD on New Local Taxes

Pittsburgh and Allegheny County officially announced their 2027 budgets and … wow our finances are not looking good. Host Megan Harris an...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
October 8

Pittsburgh's Indigenous History

Pittsburgh loves to talk about its history — the forts, the steel mills, the immigrants, the neighborhoods. But the story of this place s...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
October 7

What Pgh Restaurant Would Hold Your Wake? Plus, Measles & Mulan's Cookbook

It's official: an Allegheny County resident just tested positive for measles. It's part of Pennsylvania's ongoing (and worsening) measles...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art